1500 Hundred Reasons Not to Spin 9/11

As our own dispenser of “muscular” advice would have it: never complain, never explain. But I think it’s worthwhile for this liberal to complain a little, and also explain why he’s ticked off right now, in a big big way, at George Bush and Karl Rove.

Jack put Bush's case better than anyone I've heard so far. Well done, Jack! Why go to Iraq? well, because "9/11 reminded us that the world remained a dangerous place, that hateful people from across the world could reach out and kill Americans....we became less tolerant of distant dangers...the transformation of the Middle East will be seen as inevitable."

Sorry to vent here, but now, nearly four years post 9/11, bin Ladin is still running free, a hero to millions - releasing videos before the US elections even! - and it takes days to recover bodies from a chopper downed in Taliban territory. Iraq is a new training ground for terrorists, armed with (among other things) hundreds of tons of dual-use high explosives - once under the watchful eyes of the UN - have been looted.

Don't some of you "muscular" Bush acolytes think that taking down the men actually responsible for 9/11 might have been, well, sort of a good idea? Just thinking aloud here, but wouldn't that normally be a higher priority than chasing the impossible dream of transforming the middle east? (or is that just an "unexpected" dream?)

Don't you think that some of us are getting a little tired of waiting to see those men brought to justice? a little tired of being accused of wanting to - wait, I've got it here - "offer therapy and understanding for our attackers", just because we dare to object to George Jr running off on a fruitless search for WMD in Iraq when he should be tracking down the 9/11 killers!?

Don't you think we're a little tired of 9/11 being used as a catch-all innoculation of criticism of all kinds? Don't you think we're tired of hearing how things are getting better, its just not in the news, while Bush and his croneys have wandered from "mission accomplished" and "bring it on" to worrying about "a few malcontents" to fighting an "insurgency" that will persist for years?

Don't you think we're tired of hearing that that our "muscular" government would be doing just fine, only they didn't allow for all us complaining liberals getting in the way - by asking the government to not only spread democracy but actually practice it? maybe not have poor people from Cleveland wait for hours to vote? maybe have some sort of a trial before locking people up for years?

Guys, statistically, about 50% of the country feels this way now. So when you feel like spinning 9/11 now, as an excuse for torture or unneeded war, think of 1500 people spinning in their graves - good people, American people, people that would feel just like I do, if they were still alive. And if you still want to spin, go ahead, it's still a free country, thank G-d, I won't stop you. I'll just paraphrase Cheney and Karl: go "offer therapy and understanding" to yourself.